Automobile-identification device



J. R. GREEN AND J. H. FRITZ.

AUTOMOBILE IDENTIFICATION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, I9I9.

1,342,627. Patented June 8, 1920.

Millers; N

a ATTORNEY UNITED STAT E' S PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. GREEN AND JOHN HENDRIX FRITZ, OF BAXTER SPRINGS, KANSAS.

AUTOMOBILE-IDENTIFICATION DEVICE.

Application filed February 13, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN R. GREEN and JOHN HENDRIX Fnrrz, citizens of the United States, residing at Baxter Springs, in the county of Cherokee and State of Kansas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Antomobile-Indentification Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in automobile identification devices.

The object ofour invention is to provide a novel automobile identification device which will deter the theft of an automobile provided with the device, and which, in case the machine is stolen, affords a means of identification of the machine which will be difficult for the thief to so change as to prevent the identification of the machine.

Our invention is adapted to be applied to any suitable part of machines now in use. It is preferably applied to some nondetachable part of the body of the machine.

The novel features of our invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of our invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevationof an auto mobile provided with our improved identification device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a part of the car body having the arbitrary mark covered by the identification tag.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. at is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the tag, pad and securing bolts removed.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the different views.

1 designates an identification tag, preferably a transparent or translucent glass plate having an externally visible arbitrary mark comprising a distinguishing character or characters, such as the numeral 23 inscribed, preferably, on the inner side of the plate.

The tag 1 may be provided with two holes 2, through which extend securing devices, such as bolts 3, which also extend through the part 4 of the automobile, the bolts being held in position by means of nuts 5 which bear against the inner side of the part 4, the inner end of the bolts be- Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 276,726.

ing upset so as to prevent the easy removal of the nuts.

The part 4. may be any desired part of the automobile, preferably on the outer side of a part of the body at the rear of the hood and below the windshield. By having the identification device at the outer side of the body, instead of on the engine or other covered portion of the machine, an ordmary observer can, at a passing glance, ascertain whether or not the device has been tampered with.

The part 4: is provided with an arbitrary distinguishing mark comprising, preferably, a mutilation of the part, such as indentations or holes 6 made with a sharp instrument, and preferably arranged so as to form a mark comprising a character or characters corresponding to and immediately at the rear of and registering with the arbitrary distinguishing mark on the tag, comprising, in the present illustration, the numeral 23.

In applying the device to the machine, a ring pad 7 preferablyof some relatively soft material, such as asbestos or felt, may be inserted between the glass plate 1 and the part 4, to prevent the tag from rattling or being broken when the nuts 5 are drawn tight on the bolts 3.

In applying the device, holes 8 registering with the holes 2 in the tag 1 are made in the part 4 for the insertion of the bolts 3. The indentations or holes 6 are then made in the part 4 so as to correspond to and register with the identification numeral 23. For properly locating the indentations 6, a suitably perforated stencil plate,

I not shown, may be utilized.

After the indentations or holes 6 and the holes 8 have been made in the part 4, the pad 7 and glass plate or tag 1 are secured in position by means of the bolts 3 and nuts 5, after which the inner ends of the bolts are upset.

A record of the tags applied to different machines with the numbers of the tags and the names and addresses of the owners of the machines may be kept.

In case that a machine is stolen, and the thiefremoves the tag 1, the mutilations or indentations 6 will be visible and will be diflicult to be so restored or changed as to prevent identification of the machine.

By employing a glass tag, it will be dif- Patented June 8, 1920. i

ficult for a thief to provide another tag having a different numeral or other identification mark, and the fragile nature of the glass will render the removal of the tag without its being broken a diflicult undertaking. In case that the thief should remove the glass plate and substitute another with a different number, the distinguishing marks comprising the indentations or holes 6 in the part l would not register with the numeral of the substitute tag and would be visible through the transparent plate, thereby rendering identification of the machine an easy matter to a casual observer.

We do not limit our invention to the structure shown and described, as various inodifieations, and variations may be made without departing from. the spirit of our invention.

' WVhat we claim is r 1. In an automobile identification device,

the combination with a part of an automobile having an arbitrary distinguishing mark comprising a distinguishing character or characters, of a transparent. identification tag attached to said part covering said mark and provided on its inner side with a mark corresponding to and registering with the first named mark.

2. In an automobile identification device, the combination with a part of an automobile having one or more indentations forming an arbitrary distinguishing mark, of a transparent fragile identification tag attached to said part and covering said inark and provided on its inner side with a mark corresponding to and registering with the first named mark.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

JOHN R. GREEN. JOHN HENDRIX FRITZ. 

